I clutched at his arms, my nails digging into his sleeves. The words tumbled out in a broken rush. “The children… they never made it to school. Teacher Lucy told me. Nina dropped them off this morning with the driver, but they never arrived. They’re gone, Father. Someone took them.”
A broken sound escaped my throat as I leaned into his grip, desperate for something solid to hold onto.
“I can’t reach them through the bond,” I choked out, my voice cracking. “The connection is still there—the sacred link the Moon Goddess gave us—but it’s weak. Blocked. Like something is smothering it. I can feel their fear and confusion, but I can’t see where they are. No images. No direction. Nothing. I know they’re alive, but I can’t find them.”
I pulled back slightly, searching their faces. My father’s
